Caritas is assessing the needs of survivors in the worst hit zones in Indonesia following a devastating earthquake off the coast of Western Sumatra.
A local Caritas Emergency Response Team in Padang say the level of destruction is vast, estimating about 50 percent of buildings have been damaged by the 7.6-magnitude quake..
Fr. Agustinus
Mudjihartono is helping Caritas in Padang. He says that while the situation in Padang for survivors is critical, the situation 50km north in the town of Pariaman is much worse.
Pariaman is home to
about 80,000 residents and means “safe haven†in Indonesian. Fr. Mudjihartono says the entire town has been destroyed by the quake.
Caritas Indonesia
(known locally as Karina) is rushing a team of humanitarian staff to support relief efforts in Padang supported by international staff.
Caritas Indonesia Director Fr. Sigit Pramudji
said, “There are many people still trapped under rumble in Padang. One of our concerns is that there are only three hospitals, and two have been badly damaged in the tremor. Other
challenges are getting access to Padang and poor communications.
“We fear that the situation in Padang will be bad, but things may be much worse in Pariaman town.
“A Caritas team will assess the immediate needs of the people, which we expect to be food and other aid items such as blankets and cooking equipment, medical help, clean
water, and shelter.â€
Please contact Michelle Hough on +39 06 69879721/+39 334 2344136 or hough@caritas.va
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Motorcycles drive past a damaged shopping complex in Padang on Indonesia's Sumatra island October 1, 2009. Thousands may have died in an earthquake that struck the city of Padang on Indonesia's ...
